Bishop of Egypt gives thanks / Features / Anglican Taonga - Anglican Taonga

A few years ago at the WCC General Assembly in Porto Alegre  I went to a seminar on Christianity in the Middle East. I went because I thought it would be about Israel and Palestinians. Actually they weren't mentioned, and the people speaking came from Iran and Egypt. One of the questions asked of the Egyptian was about democracy. He replied American style democracy would not be a good thing for Christians in Egypt. They are too small a group, and in all likelihood could end up with either no or little representation in the government. He suggested other models of democracy and government were needed, and Egyptians needed to work that out.

I have remembered those comments as I have watched the gleeful reporting from Cairo. Another dictator falls!! (well maybe) Democracy is on the way! But I keep wondering how long the various groups involved in the opposition will hang together, and what will happen when they splinter? In Iran it lead to the bloody and forced Islamisation of a once relatively Western country, where those who had once been together in opposing the Shar fractured, and the non Islamists were eventually driven out or executed. What will happen in Egypt? What will be the consequences for the Christian community? When will some of these thing be talked about by our mainstream media?

Anyhow, here is what the Anglican Bishop in Egypt has to say.